The Power of Grace

1. Forgiveness Is Foundational to Our Faith

•Jesus came to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15)

•Our entire relationship with God is built on His forgiveness of us

2. Unforgiveness Creates a Bitter Root

•Holding onto hurt doesn't give us power—it creates chains

•Bitterness affects all our relationships, not just the one with our offender

•We become victims over and over when we refuse to forgive

3. Unforgiveness Damages Our Relationship with God

•It creates a wedge between us and Jesus

•God cannot heal wounds we won't release

•Our daily prayers are affected when we hold grudges

4. Forgiveness Is a Choice, Not a Feeling

•It's an action we take, not an emotion we wait to feel

•We may need to choose forgiveness daily until healing comes

•The Holy Spirit heals the emotions after we make the choice

5. Two Types of Forgiveness

•With Reconciliation: When someone repents and the relationship can be restored

•Without Reconciliation: We forgive even when they don't repent, but wisdom means we don't give them access to hurt us again